First Step, Last Chance
by ThoughtlessIdeas
Summary: This story is called First Step, Last Chance because it is based on the possibility that Harry befriended Draco that fateful day. It was his last chance to befriend Malfoy and it includes his first steps in doing so from an outsiders point of view.


The sleek, blond haired boy offered Harry his hand. Harry looked at him, his eyes glazed over with memories of the life he had at the Dursleys. The boy, Malfoy, I think he said his name was, was beginning to grow impatient. There was a pause. I inhaled slowly, hoping for the best. My prayers were left unanswered as Harry's expression changed. He smiled and looked and shook Malfoy's hand eagerly. This was the beginning of a powerful alliance, this was the beginning of Harry's life at Hogwarts.

[~}*{~]

A red-haired boy that lay beneath the folds of an old, patched robe stared at Malfoy with loathing. I turned towards him and asked what was wrong. He looked at me with what could only be described as surprise.

"I- I hoped Harry hadn't made the choice," he replied slowly. I shook my head in agreement. Although I hardly knew this Malfoy character, something about him set me off. It could have been his sleek blond hair, high cheekbones, or perfect smile, but I doubt it. Malfoy had something sinister in his heart, something malicious.

"I'm Ron," the red-haired boy said abruptly. He looked slightly embarrassed, but I was pleased to be making friends so soon.

"I'm Brielle," I replied, happily. Ron looked satisfied and we began an easy conversation about Hogwarts. I cautiously described my parents to Ron, who didn't seem to notice my uneasiness. "I'm half, you see, my dad met my mum at a Muggle hotel in California. He was there on vacation and they hit it off, I suppose. Anyway, it's because of that that I don't know much about the wizarding world. I learned enough about my dad. He was a Hufflepuff. I want to be Gryffindor, though. Or maybe Ravenclaw. I don't really know. Mostly, though, I want to make some friends. The year will seem too long without any good ones." Ron nodded and commented every now and then. He seemed happy enough. Better yet, he didn't pry about my parents.

"I'm a pure-blood, but my parents don't make a fuss about it. My dad loves Muggles, thinks they're fascinating. Mum thinks he's a little crazy, but I guess we all are. I want to be in Gryffindor, too. All my brothers are in that house. Well, Bill and Charlie graduated already, but Fred, George, and Percy are still here. There's seven of us, see. I'm after Fred and George, and then there's Ginny. She'll come next year." I laughed at Ron's bit about his father. Muggles were dreadfully boring sometimes. All of a sudden a tall, thin woman who previously introduced herself as Professor McGonagall announced that the Sorting Ceremony would begin. We followed her into a massive dining room with a celestial ceiling, literally.

"It's not real the ceiling, it's just been bewitched to look like the night sky. I've read about it in _Hogwarts; A History_." A girl with a fountain of puffy, brown hair said to another student. I nodded at them both as they found space next to me in front of an old stool upon which sat an even older hat.

"Now when I call your name, you will come up, I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses," she said. How we would be sorted, I had no idea, but I wasn't skeptical, merely curious.

I was shocked to hear the hat declare the House of choice for the slightly chunky girl upon which he had been resting. I clapped along with the rest of the first-years as Susan Bones drifted happily off to Hufflepuff.

"Draco Malfoy," called out the woman. Malfoy sat gracefully upon the stool, but he hardly needed to make himself comfortable, for the Hat had barely brushed his shiny blond head before announcing, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Hermione Granger," called out Professor McGonagall. The slightly arrogant, bushy haired girl from earlier nervously walked up to the stool. The hall was blanketed in silence as the Sorting Hat pondered over Hermione's character, talents, and, I assume, her potential. After nearly fifteen minutes she was placed in Gryffindor. For some reason or the other, the phrase Hat Stall came to mind, but I wasn't really sure why or what it meant.

"Gabriella Hawthorne," called out Professor McGonagall. I snapped out of my confusion and stumbled over to the stool. Professor placed the Hat gently upon my head.

"Fascinating... you are sly, cunning, but also brave and loyal. Unquestionably witty as well." The hat murmured quietly in my head. I struggled to remain calm. I didn't appreciate that the hat could read my thoughts and... even worse, my emotions, so easily. "You are dying to prove yourself, are you not? Do not attempt to hide your feelings from me, I will decide where you belong. Yes, there is talent, determination, and intelligence." The Hat sounded surprised. "I think we can eliminate Slytherin and Hufflepuff.. is that relief? Interesting. Ravenclaw or Gryffindor... better be... GRYFFINDOR!"

I sat up delightedly and floated towards the Gryffindor table. It wasn't long before Ron joined me and I was introduced to a portion of his family. Two boys with identical smiles and sneaky, but humorous expressions were introduced as the notorious Fred and George. A very straightforward, seemingly pompous fellow was named Ron's other brother, Percy. The four had matching red hair and freckles, but their heights differed. Suddenly, a general silence enveloped the Hall. I looked up at the Sorting Hat. Harry Potter was about to be sorted. The teachers seemed particularly interested in his placement. Dumbledore himself sat forward. I found that I was just as anxious to find out where he would be sorted. The Hat took a few moments to deliberate before announcing, "Gryffindor!" I clapped along with my fellow classmates. I was pleased that Harry ended up here, despite his decision to befriend Malfoy.

Harry Potter's was a story I'd heard of, but not in explicit detail. I knew he was orphaned by You-Know-Who, I knew he had spent the majority of his life with his aunt and uncle, and I knew that he was the only person in the magical world that had been able to reduce You-Know-Who to a portion of his former self. My dad is worried that You-Know-Who will return. My mum doesn't like to discuss the subject seeing as it both worries her and she doesn't fully understand it.

A few more children were sorted afterwards and not too long after, the feast began. It was hard for me to recall Dumbledore's words of caution about the third floor corridor and the Forbidden Forest while I was in the middle of wolfing down a perfectly roasted turkey leg. Ron, too, was eating as if he'd never seen food before and we began an animated conversation about the various types of cooking we'd experienced. Right as Ron was about to pick up another mouth-watering serving of chicken, a ghost manifested itself.

"Hello, welcome to Hogwarts!" it said delightedly. Ron was still recovering from shock while I chuckled silently to myself.

"Hey, I know you, you're Nearly Headless Nick!" shouted Ron.

"I prefer Sir Nicholas if you don't mind," he replied shortly.

"Nearly headless? How could anyone be nearly headless?" asked bushy know-it-all, Hermione Granger.

"Like this," Sir Nicholas proceeded to demonstrate how his head swung nearly completely off his shoulders. He wasn't quite beheaded, but he was awfully close. The presentation seemed to rob Hermione of her appetite. I felt bad, so I decided to attempt conversation with her.

"Hi, I'm Brielle," I began slowly. I didn't need to have been worried about how she would react. She looked more than pleased to be talking to someone out of friendship rather than correcting them for their lack of knowledge.

"I'm Hermione! Do you like it here so far?" she asked sincerely. I was surprised at her genuineness and happily carried along the conversation.

After dinner a prefect, Ron's brother, Percy, took us all up to the Gryffindor common room. There was a portrait of a... large woman to which Percy calmly spoke.

"Caput Draconis," he said and her picture swung forward as if it were... an entrance. An entrance to a very comfortable looking room. I stared in utter amazement at all the comfy looking armchairs and fireplace as Percy explained that this was our House common room and that the girl's dormitories were upstairs and on to our right.

Hogwarts was even more spectacular than I had ever dared to imagine.

[~}*{~]

I never simply fall asleep. Questions and uncertainties morph from insignificant to monstrously life-threatening. My mind is most active at night. Night is the silence that I can trust. Night is the fantasy that is my reality. Night is, and has always been, home.

I glanced around at my roommates. Hermione was awake, but only semiconscious. Her eyes were sad, almost… nostalgic. Lavender Brown was fast asleep. The final bed was empty, but neither cold nor unwelcoming. I pulled out my wand. Holly, ten and a half inches, dragon heartstring, reasonably flexible. I knew I would never forget it. My wand was a part of me and somehow, knowing that I had something so stable, so secure, calmed me down.

A slight breeze carried through the window. The grounds were quiet. A more natural silence than the hush of evening in suburbia that I was used to, but still serene. I checked my watch. Nearly half past eleven. I looked outside. This castle may not be my true home, but I decided that I liked it here. I hadn't had any negative experiences and so there was no reason to concern myself so soon. I looked up at Hermione. She'd succumbed to the pull of her subconscious mind. I smiled to myself. I hoped her dreams would take her to a place in which she, too would feel at home.

[~}*{~]

In the morning I got dressed and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast with Hermione. We sat down in front of a large tray of muffins and a jug of orange juice.

"I'm surprised the Hall is so empty, classes begin in forty-five minutes," she said while selecting a muffin bursting with blueberries. I nodded even if I believed that the emptiness was expected. Disagreeing wasn't in my nature. Hermione filled my nervous silence with information about her background. While she spoke about her non-magical parents I checked my bag to make sure all my supplies were in place. I fixed my new red and gold tie. I flattened my straight, brown hair. "You seem worried," she stated, not unkindly. My nod was accompanied by a weak smile. "Don't worry, you'll be fine, we both will," she said while giving my arm a quick squeeze. I scorned myself for being so judgmental of Hermione's character. "We'd better go," she said after I'd returned her sympathy with a smile. I followed her out of the Great Hall and began my journey at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.


End file.
